Featured Project:

Garfield Park Conservatory

Installation Contractor: Underland Architectural Systems

Product: Lexan* Thermoclear* Plus 8mm Twinwall

"The Garfield Park Conservatory sustained catastrophic damage in the June 30, 2011 hailstorm, shattering approximately half of the glass panes in the roofs of the historic Fern Room, Show House, and ten propagation greenhouses. The glass panes in the Desert House also sustained significant damage. The pathways, ponds and plants in the Fern Room, Show House, Desert House and the propagation houses are covered with broken glass, and shards of glass hang dangerously from the roofs. Until the roofs are repaired, rain will cause the ponds to overflow, and direct sunlight will destroy and kill the plants that have been so carefully and lovingly conserved for so many years."

The product chosen for the temporary reglazing solution was the Lexan* Thermoclear* Plus 8mm clear twinwall polycarbonate sheet. The job required approximately 20,000 square feet of this material and total installation cost them over $300,000. Underland Architectural Systems in Lynnwood, IL was the installer. This conservatory is over 100 years old, so they are required to rebuild it with the original product, which is glass. In the meantime, they chose the best product available to get them through the winter months, while the glass will be installed next summer.

8mm Thermoclear* Plus is just one of the Lexan* brand polycarbonate products superior to all others in the marketplace today. This product is UV protected on the exterior side and has a Dripgard, anti-condensate feature on the interior side. Lexan* Thermoclear* Plus carries a warranty against yellowing with no more than 2% light transmission loss over 10 years, compared to the standard in the market with is 6% loss of light transmission.